Principal’s Welcome
Welcome to Bairnsdale Primary School – a school where history, community and a commitment to every child’s future come together.
Established in 1864, Bairnsdale Primary School has a proud and enduring place in the history of our community. Our beautiful heritage-listed school building is a recognised landmark in Bairnsdale and provides a unique connection to the generations of children, families and educators who have walked through its doors. For more than 160 years, our school has been a place of learning, friendship, opportunity and belonging.
Our history is something we are incredibly proud of. It reminds us of where we have come from and the important role our school continues to play within the Bairnsdale community. At the same time, we are a school that looks confidently towards the future. We are committed to ensuring that our students receive the knowledge, skills, confidence and opportunities they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Every Child Matters
At Bairnsdale Primary School, every child is known, valued and supported.
We understand that every learner is different. Children come to school with their own strengths, interests, experiences, personalities and individual learning needs. Our responsibility is to understand each child as an individual and create the conditions in which they can experience success.
Our philosophy of “teach to the child, not the year level” reflects this commitment.
Rather than expecting every child to learn in exactly the same way or at exactly the same pace, we use what we know about each student to determine the most appropriate level of support, challenge and instruction. Our teachers work collaboratively to understand where students are in their learning and identify the next steps required to help them progress.
Our Support and Challenge approach ensures that students receive the support they need while also being appropriately challenged to achieve their potential. We believe that all students should experience success, but also that every student should be encouraged to stretch themselves, develop independence and take increasing ownership of their learning.
Teaching and Learning
We are committed to providing high-quality, explicit, systematic and evidence-informed teaching across all areas of the curriculum.
Our teachers have high expectations for every student and use assessment and evidence of learning to inform their teaching. We continually monitor student progress, identify areas of strength and need, and adjust our teaching to ensure that students are making meaningful progress.
We place a strong emphasis on developing the foundations of learning while building the knowledge, skills and dispositions students need for success throughout their schooling and beyond.
In literacy, we focus on developing strong foundations in phonics and word reading, reading, writing, spelling and word study, and oral language and vocabulary. Our approach recognises the importance of explicit instruction, quality texts, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency and the development of confident and capable communicators.
Across the curriculum, we encourage students to be curious, creative, reflective and resilient learners. We want our students not simply to know things, but to understand, apply and communicate their learning.
Our Commitment to Small Class Sizes
At Bairnsdale Primary School, we are proud to make a strong commitment to our students and families: our class sizes are always kept below 20 students.
We believe that every child deserves to be known, valued and supported as an individual. Maintaining classes of fewer than 20 students enables our teachers to provide greater face-to-face time with every child and to develop strong, positive relationships that support learning and wellbeing.
Smaller classes mean our teachers can respond more effectively to each student’s academic, social and emotional needs. They provide greater opportunities for individual feedback, targeted support, meaningful conversations and extension, while ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate, contribute and be heard.
Our commitment to keeping classes below 20 reflects our belief that relationships are fundamental to successful learning. When children feel known, connected and supported, they are more confident, engaged and ready to learn.
At Bairnsdale Primary School, we don’t simply want to educate children—we want to know them, understand them and help them thrive. Maintaining class sizes of fewer than 20 is one of the ways we ensure we can provide every child with the attention, care and opportunities they deserve.
Our Community
Bairnsdale Primary School is proud to be part of the broader Bairnsdale and East Gippsland community.
Our school has a strong connection to the local community and we provide students with opportunities to learn both within and beyond the classroom. Through sport, the arts, music, STEM, camps, cultural experiences, community partnerships and leadership opportunities, students are encouraged to discover their interests, develop their talents and experience success in different ways.
We are also proud of our connection to Gunaikurnai Country and recognise the importance of embedding Aboriginal perspectives, culture and history within our school. We are committed to building understanding, respect and connection with Aboriginal culture and to ensuring that all students develop an appreciation of the world’s oldest continuing cultures.
Moving Forwards Together
Our school motto, “Moving Forwards Together,” captures what we believe Bairnsdale Primary School is all about.
It reflects our belief that education is a journey – one that is shared by students, staff, families and our wider community.
We are proud of our past.
We are committed to our present.
And we are excited about our future.
We look forward to welcoming you and your family to the Bairnsdale Primary School community.
Simon Blake
Principal
